The potting materials used to support and hold arrays of porous hollow fibre membranes are usually a compromise between materials which have sufficient rigidity to provide adequate support but sufficient softness and flexibility to avoid breakage of the fibres where they enter the pot. Too rigid a material produces rapid breakage of fibres adjacent the pot while too soft a material does not have sufficient mechanical strength to adequately support the fibres. The materials are also chosen to resist breakdown as a result of exposure to various types of feed as well as cleaning fluids used to maintain the fibres.
Known systems employ single layers of epoxy, polyurethane or silicon materials, however, each suffer from the disadvantages outlined above.
The present invention seeks to overcome or at least ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art outlined above or at least provide a useful alternative.